The present invention relates to a tablet unit for inputting instruction information by approaching a touch pen to a tablet, which (tablet unit) can be removably connected to an electronic device, and a virtual experience method by the use of an electronic device with the tablet unit connected to.
As an image device typically exemplified by video game devices for children is known an image device in which picture book-type software is loaded into the device, children play the game, watching both the picture book and the TV monitor screen so that they can enjoy experiencing a simulation.
FIG. 22 shows an example of such video game device.
The video game device 12 includes a foldable game device body 14. An upper lid 18 is taken off from a bottom lid 16 of the game device body 14 to open and load a game cartridge 22 of picture book-type in a cartridge slot 20 formed in the inside of the upper lid 18. Four direction buttons 24 and one operation button 26 are disposed on the left side of the bottom lid 16 of the game device body 14, a tablet 28 is disposed at the center of the bottom lid 16, and a touch pen holder 30 is disposed at the right of the bottom lid 16. The four direction buttons 24 are an upward direction button 24a, a downward direction button 24b, a leftward button 24c and a rightward button 24d which are arranged in a cross.
The direction buttons 24 and the operation button 26 are operated by a game player, and the game player commands four directions, upward, downward, leftward and rightward directions, by the direction buttons 24 and give execution instructions by the operation button 26. A touch pen holder 30 holds a touch pen 32. The touch pen 32 is used to touch a picture book of the game cartridge 22 and the tablet 28 to operate the picture book software. A video game device 12 detects by electromagnetic induction system a position on the tablet 28 to which the touch pen 32 is approached. The electromagnetic induction system is one, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 137846/1993, that electromagnetic signals generated by the table 28 are received by the touch pen 32 to detect positions.
At the center of the inside of the upper lid 18 of the game device body 14, there is disposed a picture book mount 34 for the picture book-type game cartridge 22 to be mounted on. The picture book mount 34 detects by the same electromagnetic system as the tablet 28 a position on the picture book-type game cartridge 22 where the touch pen 32 is approached.
In the video game device 12 thus using picture book software, a required position of the picture book is touched by the touch pen 32 to change a game display presented on a TV monitor screen, or a specific position on a game display is commanded by the touch pen 32, whereby various games can be played. The tablet 28 is traced by the touch pen 32 as a picture is drawn with a pencil on a sheet of paper, whereby a picture can be freely drawn on a TV monitor screen.
However in the above-described video game device 12 inputting means a game player can operate for operational inputs are only the direction buttons 24, the operation button 26 and the touch pen 32. Accordingly simulation games played by personal computers in which operational inputs are made by means of a keyboard cannot be played.